Letter: New West Jordan library has discriminatory parking hybrid and low-emission vehicles only

Published: Sunday, Aug. 2 2015 1:07 p.m. MDT

The new West Jordan library was built with property taxes paid by all of us, including renters who pay taxes as part of their rent. But the main library parking lot reserves 12 of the choicest parking spaces near the entrances for hybrid and low-emission vehicles only. (Shutterstock.com)

The new West Jordan library was built with property taxes paid by all of us, including renters who pay taxes as part of their rent. But the main library parking lot reserves 12 of the choicest parking spaces near the entrances for hybrid and low-emission vehicles only.

This was done by Mayor Peter Corroon, in collaboration with an environmental lobby based in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Green Building Council. The USGBC was a big supporter of the 2009 stimulus package, which brought us massive debt, the Solyndra scandal and numerous other failed green initiatives. Coroon issued a directive stating that from now on, all new county buildings must meet USGBC's Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design standards, which include privileged parking for hybrid and low-emission vehicles.

When I spoke with Coroon he did not sound like an arrogant man, but he said it is the job of Salt Lake County government to influence the people's choice of cars.

Interestingly, CBS News revealed that of all Americans who traded in hybrid vehicles in 2011, only 35 percent replaced them with another hybrid, and that hybrid sales peaked in 2008.

Privileged parking for the able-bodied is elitist and discriminatory. All Utahns should enjoy equal access to the structures our taxes helped to build.